Weight loss can put type 2 diabetes in remission for at least five years, new research has found. 

The study from the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) suggests that losing weight and keeping it off can help reverse diabetes – a serious condition that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, narrowing of blood vessels and nerve damage.

Obesity is a major driver of type 2 diabetes with research finding people with a high body mass index (BMI) are up to 80 times more likely to develop the condition than those with a BMI of less than 22.

In the latest study, a quarter of people in remission from diabetes two years after starting a low-calorie diet were still in remission three years later.

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They no longer needed to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.

Of the 298 people who took part in the study, funded by Diabetes UK, half received standard diabetes care from their GP and half were put on a diet with support from health professionals.

The diet consisted of liquid meals totalling 800 calories lasting for between 12 and 20 weeks, with support from a nurse or dietician to maintain weight loss.

The participants stopped taking medication for type 2 diabetes and blood pressure at the beginning of the programme. It was reintroduced as necessary.

At the end of the original two-year study, 95 of the 149 people on the weight-loss programme agreed to take part in an extension study lasting three years.

The new data shows that, of this group of 95 people, 48 were in remission at the start of the extension study, and 23% of these were still in remission three years later.

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The proportion of people in remission five years after the original study started was more than three times that of the control group, who just received GP care.

Those put on a diet and offered support had bigger improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar levels with fewer needing medication.

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The number of serious health issues resulting in hospital admission in the dieting group was also less than half that in the control group.

Professor Roy Taylor at Newcastle University, who co-led the study, said: “The DiRECT five-year follow-up shows that the rapid weight-loss programme brings about considerable weight loss at five years with low-intensity support.

“The most important question now is how the follow-up programme can be even more successful at an affordable cost.”

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Dr Elizabeth Robertson, director of research at Diabetes UK, said: “The new findings from DiRECT confirm that for some people, it is possible to stay in remission for at least five years.

“For those who put type 2 diabetes into remission, it can be life-changing, offering a better chance of a healthier future.

“For those that aren’t able to go into remission, losing weight can still lead to major health benefits, including improved blood sugar levels, and reduced risk of serious diabetes complications such as heart attack and stroke.”

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